


You Are The Reason

by lostinthesounds



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: 5x09 was too cute for them, F/M, cause i cant get enough, zaven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 10:32:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15265578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthesounds/pseuds/lostinthesounds
Summary: Unfortunately for Shaw, the girl he’s trying to protect doesn’t move from his side.





	You Are The Reason

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first attempt at a Raven Reyes and Zeke Shaw story! These two have been so precious these last couple episodes, and they make me happy. 
> 
> Enjoy!

It felt like a daze, one moment of shameless flirting changes to one of panic and chaos.

Eliguis found them, more importantly Diyoza had found her pilot finally. Luckily, her dizziness from her gun shot wound finally cleared and she could scout the area herself. Raven and her friends weren’t far from Eden, and she knew it would be trouble since everything else is dirt and charred attempts of the Earth growing back to life.

It was quick, Diyoza using the technology of her ship to track them down while her frantic ness grew because she had a stray bullet wound in her right shoulder and it hurt like hell. But she was strong, knowing that a few bandages could hold her from biting her tongue to bleed.

With a gun in her left hand and multiple followers behind her, her eyes locked with the pilot that was supposed to be loyal.

His eyes were dark, like he expected this to happen just like Raven. Diyoza also expected his arm to hold out to protect the brunette. It seemed foolish really, for someone so ruthless like Zeke Shaw to fall in love with the first girl he sees.

But, Raven Reyes wasn’t just any girl to Zeke. She was a hardworking mechanic who’d do anything to protect her people along with a heart of gold that makes her smile; that she only makes for him these days, that much brighter.

Diyoza’s been in love before, she knows that look in his eyes when his hand reaches for the pistol in his holster as he tells Raven’s friends to leave without him.

Unfortunately for Shaw, the girl he’s trying to protect doesn’t move from his side.

 

* * *

“Raven,” Zeke calls out, to try and stop the girl from hurting herself as she fights against the restraints.

She stops for a moment, panting as she tries to lock eyes with him. “ _What_!”

“You’re gonna hurt yourself” He reminds her, warning for her safety.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Raven grunts out, adrenaline and memory passes through her every move.

Raven Reyes has been through the physical, emotional and mental pain that she’d never wish on anybody else. From her horrible mother, who traded rations for the crappy moonshine on the Ark.

Or the stray bullet that paralyzed her left knee down to her foot, to the cheating ex boyfriend that she considered Family.

She could really go on and on, but her mind is racing with any possibility to get out of the cell.

“I’m sure my friends will come back for us, and then we escape...” She says, sure of the capability of their eagerness.

Zeke almost lets himself frown, but he chooses to be strong for her.

“It’s not that easy, Raven” he replies, his voice gets deeper when it’s serious.

She’s like a bomb ticking to explode, because she’s tired of being locked up and being put in the same situation over and over again with the people she cares about. She’s tired of Zeke, being so calm and collective when she wants to save him too.

“Tell me why it’s so _hard_ Shaw” Raven grits her teeth, her tone harsh. 

”Diyoza only wants me, not you. She’ll let you go in a matter of time.”

Raven mumbles, “You’ll be forced to pilot this stupid ship after everything she’s done to you!”

She really cares about his will to survive and not so surprisingly, his safety too.

They’re on opposite sides of the room, chained to different posts, but nothing could connect them like when he looks her in the eyes. Normally, they would be the same color and same shade of brown but when Raven gets upset, her eyes turn a shade lighter while his turns a shade darker. They could see it in eachother, and it’s probably why Raven feels so worried.

“It’s better for the both of us, you get to run to reunite with your friends and I’ll survive knowing you’re okay, Raven..”

He’s shy with the last few words, and it makes Raven happy.

He makes her happy.

She’s conflicted, so undecided on what to do. “There has to be another way, I’ll be damned if I lose someone who makes me this... _this_ happy to wake up in this beautiful valley only to be locked up with a shock collar around my neck. You have to come with me,” She swallows the nerves in her throat, “Please.”

Zeke doesn’t know how to respond, his insides are warm with emotion and he knows he can’t look away from her daring eyes.

So he tries to make it easy for her, for them.

“It didn’t work the first time Reyes, I can’t keep putting you and myself at risk like this. Being a pilot,” He brings his knees to his chest, vulnerable. “-It’s who I’ve been since I was thirteen. I care for you too much to put you in constant danger.”

“You used my last name...” Raven mutters, a small smile to forget his words for a few seconds. To stop the realization from sinking.

He’s the one that smiles big, “I have to be serious around you, I have to use my head to make decisions.”

“I distract you?” She sniffles away her slightly teary eyes. Even in difficult circumstances where she should be thinking negatively, he’s the light in her atmosphere in that moment. 

“No,” He states, his brown eyes find her chocolate ones easily. “You just make me wanna run away and forget this place..”

“That’s a bad thing?” She asks again, curious when his fingers start tapping on the material surrounding his knees.

She can’t help but fiddle with her hands and act nervous. She’s falling too fast.

“Once again, No” He laughs this time.

He licks his lips, their gaze still unbroken and for some reason, he loves how he’s looking at her so he doesn’t really find a motive to stop himself.

“You’re smart Raven Reyes, so smart that sending a middle finger through a computer is actually hilarious to me,” he pauses to test his ego, it’s shamelessly high for someone of his status “-and something I can’t do. But, you’ll be the hero like you _always_ are”

Zeke always encourages her, that it makes her heart grow like a rose and blossom into confidence. But, it stops because she doesn’t wanna loose him.

Raven breaks their intense stare and manages to focus on the beating of her heart, fast and torn. 

“I never thought of myself as a hero, you know?” 

“Why not?” He asks, and she hears his feet move like he’s trying to give his full attention. “The brains behind an operation is crucial.” 

Raven shrugs, like it was normal to feel this way. 

“I lose too much, and being disabled makes protecting my friends more difficult...” She can’t stare at him, so she looks at the boring and metal wall adjacent to her sitting frame. 

He’s intimidating in times like these, and Raven can’t let her walls down so easily but it was so hard to have him so attentive. 

“Those people are my family now, I would do anything for them so I really _hate_ being stuck in cells being tortured in this _already_ cruel world.” It was the truth and she can’t blame it on Zeke. 

He doesn’t say it, but all he could think was that the woman in front of him is courageous and mentally strong and he can’t help but feel so much for someone he’s known for only a month. Raven really does have easy going charm that reels him into her world, and he doesn’t want out. 

Being stuck in here, wasn’t his fault because she couldn’t let go of his arm although he tried his best to push her away. Something about Zeke Shaw, just really drove her insane and she wants him safe, maybe even with her someday but it’s for another day. 

“Do you think the world hates you?” 

“Only when I’m on it.” 

Zeke grins, “Then, why would it bring you to me? I think I’m pretty awesome” 

It was a light change of mood, both of them suddenly forgetting they were locked up. 

Raven felt tears well up in her eyes, and she doesn’t know why but she can’t look away from the man across from her when she lets them fall. Zeke is the one to use his easy going charm on her, and he thinks it’s a mistake when he watches her cry. 

“Don’t cry,” Zeke softly calls out to her. It was simple and typical to say to someone who’s crying, but it was the first thing that popped into his head. 

“I understand why you need to stay, I really do.” Raven assures, trying her best to stop and wipe her face with her cuffed hands and she hears Zeke flinch with his emotions at a high. “But I want you to be okay, I care about you too _Shaw_ and I don’t know what I’d do-“ 

Their gazes are soft, strangely a new intimacy grows and Raven’s eyes narrow when she finishes. She mocks the use of his own last name, like he did with her. 

“Without you...” Raven says, and Zeke disrupts their connection again and frantically looks away. 

“Don’t think about it.” Zeke demands, it was strong and quick that Raven almost misses his words. “It’ll make it that much harder for the both of us when they take you away.” 

It confuses Raven, as he bounces from caring about her to snapping at her confession of emotions. 

“What’s wrong?” She asks him, a sincerity in her voice that makes his face scrunch because he feels his walls breaking even more. 

“Don’t push me away, especially not like this. Where I don’t know if I’ll see you again after I leave this room.” Raven snaps, a loud and harsh whisper that hurts everything within her. 

“I’m letting you in so fast and I haven’t felt appreciation like this in so long...” 

“We already talked about that, Zeke” 

“Actually...No _we_ didn’t” His eyes are scary, and it makes her realize that he meant the other type of feelings. 

The type of feelings that make a heart jump in anticipation, in joy, in every single move the other person makes. The first instinct to protect them, even if all they have is two clenched fists and a smart mouth. The _love_ that Raven feels and is too hesitant to fully admit. 

Her mouth shuts instantly, she’s a bit shocked to respond so fast. 

“Well, if you won’t come with me then I guess this confession will have to wait.” 

“Are you really gonna guilt trip me right now?” Zeke frowns, carelessly looking around. 

“I hope you’re smart enough to get yourself back to me Zeke, and not all talk...” She teases, her tongue sticking out between her teeth. That’s all he does to her, makes her forget her surroundings and just live through him. 

“Oh, I certainly know that I’m not all _just_ talk Raven.” There’s a hidden message of something more, and she feels her ears burn red and she doesn’t meet his lit up eyes facing right at her. 

The moment gets cut short, the flirting wasn’t the only thing making Raven burn on impact. The door gets burst open, and in walks Diyoza with two of her best guards - Zeke knows them from before the cryosleep, and it makes his skin crawl to see them head for Raven. 

She feels them grab at her wrists, pulling her forwards them upwards, targeting a burning sensation on the pressure of her wrists since the cuffs have been on for so long. She yelps in sudden pain, and Zeke fights against his restraints, pulling the metal with every ounce of strength in his body. 

“Don’t hurt her!” Zeke shouts, his face was stone and angry. 

Raven looks at him as the two older men start to lead her out of the cell, and she hates that he can’t make her forget her reality this time. She wants him by her side, now it’s too late. 

“Zeke, _stop_ it.” Raven shouts, almost sounding defeated herself. She wouldn’t want him to hurt himself either. 

“It’s gonna be okay Raven, just be careful and make sure your friends are safe!” It was the last thing Zeke was able to yell to her, and he hopes that she heard every word. 

He’s trying his best to forget the sound of her in pain, and the dried tears on her pretty face. He always tries to reassure her, be there for the girl with a brain as big and smart as his, but then he didn’t know how much he needed someone to reassure him. 

Diyoza stayed behind as the door shut and Zeke had his eyes shut with the pain shooting up his forearms, and the defenseless stance he was trying to hold. 

“I didn’t expect you to betray me for a second time, Shaw” 

“I was just trying to keep Raven safe.” 

It was simple, like all the things he knows he feels for her. 

“You’re also lucky McCreary isn’t here to put a bullet through your head, but he also tried to kill me so I’m glad he isn’t” 

It sounded menacing from the words leaving her a mouth, a ton of hidden history he doesn’t know between them. 

“You two had a thing?” 

“My answer would be the same as what you’d say about Raven.” Her smirk appears when they lock eyes, and all he feels is nerves creep up his spine. 

What was she gonna do?, he thinks. 

“Listen,” Diyoza begins to explain, she sets herself down next to her pilot and puts a hand on the floor. “You’d be a fool if you betray me again, so what do I have to do to make you stay and fly this ship for me?” 

It’s the most reasonable he’s heard her speak to him. 

It was too easy of an answer. 

“Don’t hurt her, just let her be...” he pleads, showing his motive to survive. 

She gets up with no response, and it’s a silence that fills that air that feels like it would all be okay for him. 

Diyoza has one foot out of the now single cell, and has a cool tone to her voice. 

“You wouldn’t be a fool to betray me again right?” 

Zeke nods. 

“I’d hate to break it to you kid,” She starts off, “but you’re foolish to admit your weakness to someone who could abuse it to it’s lengths until you break.” 

Zeke cracks, he’s stupid for even saying it. His throat feels hot, like it’s on fire and he’s not getting enough air into his lungs to breath properly. 

“Please,” He’s never begged like this in his life, not when he wanted his Harley back in his garage, or when he didn’t want to leave his house as a teenager. 

He makes her lock eyes with him again and it all made sense once he accepted his enemy, but he had to try once more before giving up. 

“I love her, I love Raven. I’ll fly and navigate and do my job to help you survive, but I need _her_ to survive too.” 

Zeke admits with his eyes glaring and his head tilting with an emotion he can’t pinpoint, but he can’t describe the anger he’d feel if Raven Reyes didn’t make it out of _his_ ship alive. 

Not only to survive, but he needs to see her again to tell her that he doesn’t want to live without her crazy mind, her engaging smile or big heart that almost made him cave and go with her on another attempt at an adventure to thrive.  


End file.
